The peril of cutting Pell Grants Any decision to reduce federal aid as a result of federal budget negotiations will have a significant and chilling effect on millions of college students throughout the U.S. (The Baltimore Sun via University Business)

A resounding yes to the degree in three A three-year degree that can save students 25 percent and colleges almost that much looks attractive to many families, politicians and government officials. (The Washington Post)

Sen. Harkin investigates for-profit colleges After holding a series of public hearings over the past year in Washington, D.C., Harkin, D-Iowa, just held his final one last week and is beginning to write legislation to change how for-profit schools are funded. (Quad City Times via University Business)

For-Profit College Company Settles Whistle-Blower Suit The lawsuit, filed in 2007 by David Goodstein, the former director of education at Kaplan’s CHI Institute, charged that Kaplan continued to enroll students in the Broomall surgical technology program even though it did not have enough of the clinical placements the students needed to graduate. As a result, the lawsuit charged, some students were sent home on “leaves of absence” after they finished the classroom portion of the program to wait for a placement that in many cases never materialized. (The New York Times)

About the blogger

Alex Friedrich reports on higher education issues for MPR News. Among the stories he has covered: the fall of the Berlin Wall, aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, 2003 Moscow suicide bombing and 2004 presidential elections in the Republic of Georgia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s in European political economy from the London School of Economics.